The watchmaking industry as we know it today is fascinating for several reasons but recently, I found myself wondering specifically about the names of brands the dial. Some of the most recognisable names in watchmaking today bear the surname of the founders. Breguet, Cartier, Patek Philippe, Audemars Piguet, Vacheron Constantin and so many others.
If you really think about it, however, the companies that bear these names have been around for so long, with histories counted in centuries, that they no longer have any direct connection with the founders or the founding families. Hamilton, with all its American heritage, is now owned by The Swatch Group, it is headquartered and manufactured in Switzerland. A. Lange & Söhne, the company that practically founded Glashütte as the epicentre of watchmaking in Germany is still headquartered there but is now owned by the, also Swiss, Richemont group.
Then there are the brands that bear the name of watchmakers, some of whom are still alive, and yet are owned and run independently from their founders. Speake-Marin is a good example of this, Franck Muller is yet another. Both Daniel Roth's and Gerald Genta's original brands were acquired by The Hour Glass and subsequently sold to Bulgari and have only recently been revived by LVMH (a French luxury group).
Denne historien er fra Spring 2024-utgaven av World of Watches.
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Denne historien er fra Spring 2024-utgaven av World of Watches.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
BRAND ELEVATION
On the sidelines of Geneva Watch Days, Bulgari CEO JeanChristophe Babin talks about the challenges of having one brand identity across all categories, and tells us what he really thinks of watch fairs.
EVEN MORE HANDS
For the third year in a row, the collective WOW team shares the watches we ponied up for. As always, we include a couple of fantasy pieces and more than a few fails.
CONCEPTS AND CONSEQUENCES
What is the legacy of concept watches? What happens when the show is over and it is time to actually manufacture them? How do these ticking research labs translate into actual, wearable timepieces...if they ever do?
THE QUESTION OF SUCCESSION
In the watchmaking industry, a company’s longevity is oftentimes measured not in decades but in centuries. What then happens to a brand beyond its founders? We speak to three CEOs to answer this question.
LEAPS AND BOUNDS
The quest to add one day to a month every four years may seem like a mundane task in the digital age, but achieving this mechanically is anything but.
FLIP SIDE
Omega celebrates the first human flight orbit the moon with a new Speedmaster Dark Side of the Moon.
SNAPPING BACK
A powerful showcase for a one-of-a-kind constant force mechanism, the Girard Perregaux Neo Constant Escapement is now available for everyone.
GO FOR GOLD
Forty-five years after Piaget released its allgold Polo 79 luxury sports watch to critical acclaim, the maison revisits this iconic collection with a new ultra-thin movement.
CLEAR WINNER
Hublot's fourth collaboration with Takashi Murakami puts the artist's joyful flower motif at the centre of a bold new case design.
HISTORICAL TRIBUTE
Parmigiani Fleurier launches a new version of their Tonda PF Hijri Perpetual Calendar with a vivid green dial.